Roller coaster of the loop-the-loop type



Sept. 11, 1951 c. L. MCBRIDE ROLLER COASTER OF THE LOOPTHELOOP TYPEFiled March 15, 1946- 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 {Q Q m H F INVENTOR, BYdkarlesLMzBnkle;

' Sept. 11, 1951 c. L. MCBRIDE 1 2,567,438

ROLLER COASTER OFTHE LOOP-THE-LOOP TYPE 3 Sheet s-Shee't 2 Filed March15, 1946 l NVENTOR,

B MAM/31% ATTORNEY.

Sept. 11, 1951 c. L. MCBRIDE 2,567,438

ROLLER COASTER OF THE LOOP-THE-LOOP TYPE Filed March 15, 1946 5Sheets-Sheet 5 16 INVENTOR;

BY V

Patented Sept. 11, 1951 ROLLER, COASTER OF THE LOOP-THE-LOOP P .TYE

Charles L. McBride, Tampa, Fla., assignor to Joy Toys, Inc., Tampa,Fla., a corporation of Florida Application March 15, 1946, Serial No.654,711

This invention relates to amusement devices and particularly to rollercoasters of the loopthe-loop type, especially of the toy variety,wherein a vehicle travels over an inclined or undulating track.

There have been many examples of the present type of apparatusheretofore on the market. In the main, they have fallen into three basiccategories. The first of these comprises a simple track arrangement onwhich a car coasts down an incline to gain sufficient momentum to carryit up an incline or around a vertical loop in the track and then coastsalong a section of track to a terminal. In this arrangement, the car hasto be moved by hand from the terminal at one end of the apparatus backto the starting point at the other end of the apparatus. In the secondtype the car runs on a section of track similar to the first type, withthe exception that the car runs up an incline after passing through theloop and, at the end of the incline, is switched to another tracksubstantially below the first track, whereupon the car runs in reverseto a terminal point immediately below the starting point. In thisvariety it is also necessary to. lift the car by hand from the terminalpoint to the starting point. The third variety is automatic in itsoperation in that the track is in the form of a horizontal loop, withthe ends of the loop at higher elevations than the central portion and avertical loop in one of the side sections. In these arrangements thecars gain sufficient momentum in running down the inclinesfrom the endsof the loop to carry them to the elevation at the opposite side. In someinstances chain elevators are employed to lift the cars to the elevatedportions of the track, but this is more apt to be found in full-scaleamusement park apparatus than in toys.

In the first two arrangements described above, it is necessary to movethe car by hand from the terminal points to the starting points for arepeat performance. This means that the operator must be continuallymoving the car from one end of the apparatus to the other in order tohave the pleasure of seeing it run through the course of the track. Thethird type of apparatus has the disadvantage of coveringconsiderablefloor space, which is frequently at a premium in the modern house.Furthermore, without the use of elevators, the car does not alwayscomplete the course of the track and must be lifted by hand to one ofthe elevated points thereof.

, Regardless of the type of apparatus, there are 3 Claims. (Cl. 104-55)certain undesirable features that are universally characteristic of theprior art apparatus. For instance, in all of the three types ofstructures it is necessary, in starting the operation of the cars, tolift the cars to an elevated starting point from which they can coast.None of the structures are arranged with a starting point at the stationloading platform substantially at ground level at which the cars areautomatically stopped, and from which they are automatically started,thereby simulating a full-scale apparatus in substantially completedetail. a

It has been practically impossible to run, simultaneously, a pluralityof cars on the same apparatus, of the type employing elevators, as thecars continually bump each other, and miss contact with the elevatormechanism, due to lack of synchronization. Furthermore, in forming avertical loop, the track is necessarily offset laterally which causesthe car runway to be twisted slightly. The prior art cars frequentlyjump the track or fail to negotiate the loop because their rigidstructure does not accommodate the twist in the loop track.

Having in mind the defects of the priorart apparatus, it is an object ofthe present invention to provide a roller coaster of the loop-thelooptype which does not cover an undue amount of space and yet is fullyautomatic, the car traveling through a complete cycle of the track andrepeating the cycle without attention from the operator. It iscontemplated that the starting point of the course of travel will be ata loading platform at a lower point in the structure and therebycompletely simulate the operation of a full-scale apparatus. Theoperating parts of the apparatus should be synchronized so that morethan one car may be operated simultaneously without interfering witheach other, and it is desirable to have controls for stopping of thecars at the loading platform and without affecting the synchronizationof their operation when again started. In addition, the cars should havea flexibility of structure that facilitates their negotiation of thelaterally offset loop track. Moreover, the apparatus should comprise asimplicity of operation and economy of design without detracting fromits stability, appearance and overall appeal.

The foregoing objects and others ancillary thereto are preferablyaccomplished, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, by a track structure arranged in two sections which arelocated substantially in the same vertical plane and have pivotedsections at each end to transfer the roller coaster cars, that travelthereon, from one track section to the other. Arresting means isprovided adjacent the bottom part of the lower track section, within astation and beside a loading platform to stop the cars and provide astarting point for their travel circuit. A chain type elevator isarranged to release the cars from the arresting means and to lift themup an incline to the starting point for the upper section of track. Asection of the upper track is pivotally mounted so as to be lifted bythe top of a car moved upwardly by the elevator, and thereafter droppedback into place when the car has passed beyond it. The car is providedwith an upper framework to bear against and lift the pivoted tracksection as it passes thereunder.

When released by the elevator, the car rolls down over the pivoted tracksection around a vertical loop and up a secondary incline. The track ofthe secondary incline terminates in another pivoted track section whichis spring pressed upwardly and latched in line therewith. A snubber ismounted on this pivoted section to arrest the forward motion of the carand release the latch to permit the section to be pivoted downwardly. bythe Weight of the car thereon, to become aligned with the lower tracksection, whereupon the car rolls down the incline of the lower sectionto the starting point. The pivoted track section is returned by springaction to the upper track. A unique structure is provided in the car bypivotally mounting one or both of the wheel axles and body on alongitudinal shaft which permits a flexibility in the car to facilitateits negotiating the offset track of the loop portion. I

A small motor is provided to operate the elevator, lights are mounted atstrategic points on the apparatus to enhance its appearance when inoperation, and controls are provided for separately operating the motorand the lights. The power and control svstems are housed in a stationand loading platform structure comprising a sheet formed as two U-shapedelements positioned at ri ht ang es, a vertical U element forming thestation and a horizontal U element forming the loading platform. Theelevator com rises an endless chain carrying spaced, radial pins tocontact the cars and lift them up the starting incline. For conveniencein storing and shipping, the whole structure may be built in three searate portions which are arranged to be readily and easily assembled ordisassembled.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of this inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The inventionitself, however, both as to its or anization and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbest be understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

R g. 1 is a side view in elevation of a roller coaster of theloop-the-loop type comprising the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a top plan of a portion of the track, adjacent the startingpoint, showing one formv of the car arresting means.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken longitudinally through apivotally mounted end section of track.

Fig. '7 is a side view in elevation of a coaster car.

Fig. 8 is an end view in elevation of a car.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is an exploded fragmentary view in perspective of cooperatingadjacent ends of separable track sections.

Fig. 11 is a view in perspective of the station and loading platformstructure and drive mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the pivotal end of thetrack section shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 13 is a. diagrammatic layout of the power circuits.

Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view of a modified car taken on a verticalplane longitudinally through the car.

Fig. 15 is a cross sectional view taken on line I5-I5 of Fig. 14.

I Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the track and car showing a modifiedarresting means.

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of another modification of the arrestingmeans, and

Fig. 18 is a cross sectional view taken on line I8-I8 of Fig- 17.

A roller coaster, to overcome the defects hereinbefore enumerated, musthave at least four totally distinct characteristics: it must be fullyautomatic in operation, the cars completing a cycle of the tracks, whichare superimposed to conserve space, and returning to the starting pointready to repeat the cycle; it must simulate a full-scale apparatus withthe starting point substantially at ground level at a loading platform;its operation must be synchronized so that a plurality of cars may beoperated simultaneously; and, the cars must have a flexibility ofstructure that facilitates their negotiation of the lateral twist in avertically looped track.

Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, referringspecifically to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is constituted by a roller coaster ofthe loop-the-loop type having an upper track I. including a verticalloop 2, and a lower track 3 substantially beneath the upper track I. Theupper track I includes an elevated starting point I at one end, a longdecline 5 leading to the vertical loop 2, and an incline 6 from the loop2 to a terminal point formed by a snubber I. The end section or track 8,in front of the snubber T, is mounted at one end on a pivot 9 andaligned with the inclined track 6 by a latch III that is released uponcontact by a roller coaster car with the snubber I. When the latch I0 isreleased the track section 8 is pivoted downwardly, by the weight of thecar, to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, in alignment witha declined section of track I5 in the lower track 3 which leads to thestation I6 and loading plat form I1 where the car is stopped by anarresting means I8.

From the station IS, the lower track 3 has an inclined portion I9leading upwardly to the starting point 4 of the upper track I. Onesection 20 of the upper track I, overlying the inclined section I9 ofthe lower track 3, is pivotally attached at one end by a hinge 2| withthe declined. Section 5, the other end merely resting on the portionjoining the starting section. and the inclined section 19. By thisarrangement, the pivotal track section is cammed upwardly by the cars tothe position shown in broken lines in Fig. l as the cars move up theinclined section l9. When a car passes beyond the free end of thepivotal track section 20 the said section drops back into position sothat the car may run over the said section to the declined section 5.

The starting point for the cycle of travel of the cars is within thestation l6 adjacent the loading platform I1. The cars gain momentumrolling down the decline l5, and, as the starting point is on theinclined section I9, the cars do not stop, or stand, at the startingpoint of their volition. An arresting means I8 is provided to performthis function which, as best shown in Fig. 4,. comprises a pair ofcorrugated leaf springs which are attached at one end to the opposedfront and rear walls of the station housing [6. The springs arepositioned just above and parallel to the track section l9 and arrangedto grip the opposed sides of the cars between their corrugated portions25. Thus, as the cars roll down the decline I5, of the lower track 3,and start up the incline I 9 they drive between the springs I 8 and aregripped and held by the corrugated portions until they are removedtherefrom and lifted up the inclined section [9 by an elevatormechanism.

Alternative forms of arresting means are shown in Figs. 16 and 17 andinclude cooperative elements mounted on the cars as well as on thestation walls. In Fig. 16 it will be seen that the sides of the car body55 are provided with corrugations 54, simulating ventilating louvers,which cooperate with springs l8 mounted on the station walls It butwhich have fiatgripping portions 25'. In Fig. 17 corrugated-springs H0are mounted on the sides of the car body 55 so as to extendlongitudinally thereof and to cooperate with vertically positioned,bowed springs Ill mounted on the station walls l6. Any desired number ofthe bowed springs l I I may be employed but more positive action isobtained by the use of more than one spring on either side of the track.

As may be seen in Fig. 1, the inclined section I 9 is provided with acentrally located raised channel 26 within which travels the upper runof an endless chain 21 that is supported by sprocket wheels 28 and 29mounted at the upper and lower ends of the inclined track IS. The chain2! is provided with a plurality of radially extending pins 30, two beingshown, that contact the front of the car as it is held at the stationl6. Each of the pins 30, being transported by the driven chain 21,travel up the length of the inclined section of the track l9 and carry acar up the track past the pivotal section 20 to the starting point 4.When a pin 30 is revolved around the sprocket 28, it drops below the carwhich may then coast down the pivotal section 20 and over the uppertrack I.

When the car passes around the loop 2 and up the inclined section 6 itis arrested in its forward movement by a snubber 'l' which comprises abolt 35, loosely mounted, parallel to the track, in an upright member31. Thebolt head 36 forms the snubber bumper and is resiliently urgedforward by a spring 38 coiled around the shankof the bolt between thehead 35 and the upright 31, the bolt 35 being retained in the upright 31by a nut 39 threaded on the end of its shank. The upright 31 extendsdownwardly through a slot 40 in the track section 8 and is joined with abar ll extending at right angles thereto and supported by a sleeve orchannel 42' depending from the track section 8 infront of the slot 40.

The forward end of the bar 4! is connected by a rod 42 with an arm 43depending through a slot 5 1 in the track section 8,. from the latch [0that holds the track section 8 in alignment with the inclined tracksection 6. The track is then in position for the next car to coast overthe upper track I. The latch If! is in the form of a bolt, slidablymounted in a channel 45 above the track section 8, and has an inclinedface 46 which cooperates with the end of the track section 6 to retractthe latch when the track section 8 swings upwardly from its lowerposition. A coiled spring 41, anchored to the track section 8, isattached to the arm 43 to return the latch ID to the latching positionafter it has been retracted. The pivotal shaft axles. and 15, comprisesthe pivotal mounting of but one 9, which supports the track section 8,is journaled in the end uprights 5i] and springs 52 are coiled aroundthe ends of the shaft 9 with their ends anchored against the track 8andthe uprights resiliently urge the track section 8 upwardly.

When the front end of the car strikes the bumper 35, the bolt 35 isforced rearwardly, compressing the spring 38 which transmits the motionto the upright 31. This transmitted motion forces the upright 31 and itsbar 4| rearwardly, pulling the rod 42 and arm 43 to retract the latchBil beyond the end of the track section 6. The track section 8 isthereby permitted to pivot downwardly, with the car, into alignment withthe declined section l5 of the lower track 3, the force of gravitycausing the car to roll down the declined track. When the weight of thecar is removed, the pivotal section 8 is swung upwardly by the springs52. When the track section 8 reaches its normal position, the latch I0is again hooked over the end of the track 6 by the action of the coiledspring 4'! attached to the latch arm 43.

The type of car best suited for use with the present apparatus and fortraveling around the vertical loop 2 is shown in Figs. '7 and 8. Itcomprises a body 55 on which is mounted a frame including a pair ofupstanding curved rails 56 which act as cam surfaces against the undersurface of the pivotal track section 20 to force it upwardly as the caris moved up the inclined track i9 by the elevator pins 30. The body 55is mounted on a longitudinal shaft 51 which is journaled in centralbores in the axles 58 on which the wheels 59 are journaled. Thisstructure permits the axles to pivot slightly relative to each other andthe body 55 relative to the A modified structure, shown in Figs. 14

axle, the other being rigidly mounted to the body. Although either axlemay be so mounted, the rear axle 58 is shown as being journaled in theside walls of the body 55, the front axle 58 having a short longitudinalshaft 51 journaled therein,

the shaft 51' being mounted in the front end of the body 55 and in across bracket 55 within the body.

The track is offset laterally in forming the loop 2 and it has beenfound that a rigidly mounted car. tends to jump the track whentraversing the loop 2, whereas the present arrangements permitflexibility between the axles, or between the axles and the body, sothat the car can twist as it travels through the loop 2 and has notendency to leave the track. The track is provided with channels 50 oneach side thereof, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, l0 and 12, to form runwaysfor the car wheels 59.

The tracks I and 2 are supported by a plurality of uprights 5| and theend upright 50 which supports the pivotal end of the track section 8 aspreviously described. The uprights 50 and 5| are mounted on an elongatedbase 66 formed as an inverted channel member which is best shown in Fig.3. The station 1'6 is mounted directly on the base 66. Lights 61 aresupported at the upper ends of each of the uprights 50 and 5| and at thecenter of the loop 2 and possibly within the station or loadingplatform, and their illumination greatly enhances the appearance andattractiveness of the apparatus. A guard rail 68 is placed on eitherside of the declined track section l5 both as a matter of appearance andas a matter of precaution to prevent the carfrom jumping the track whenit drops from the pivotal section 8. Guard members 69 depend from theinclined track Hi to enclose the elevator chain 21. A switch 10 forcontrolling the lights 61, and a lever II to control the operation ofthe elevator belt 28, are mounted on the base member 66 in front of thestation [6.

To facilitate storage and shipping, the track structure is divided inthree sections, having dismountable joints and 16. A shown in Fig. 9,the members of the base 66 are provided with an underlapping tab 11which may be secured by bolts 18 to the adjoining base member 86. Thebase members 66 are provided with abutting tabs 19 inturned from theirsidewalls and which may be secured together by bolts '80. The tracksection joints are formed by dovetailing lugs extending longitudinallyof the adjoining track sections as shown in Fig. 10. One of the tracksections may comprise a centrally located lug 85 that is formed upwardlyto lie above the surface of the track section, with lugs 86 on eitherside thereof extending in a plane of the track surface and lugs 81 onthe outsides which are formed downwardly to lie adjacent the undersurface of the track section. The adjoining track section may beprovided with lugs 98 extending in the plane of the track surface tooverlie the lug 81 and underlie the lugs 85. Although not necessary,this track section may also have lugs formed upwardly and/or downwardiyto overlie or underlie the lugs 86. The frictional engagement betweenthe overlapping lugs holds the abutting ends of the track sectionstogether and in perfect alignment.

As shown in Fig. 11 the station l5 and the loading platform are formedfrom a single sheet of metal that i in the general shape of two Ustructures positioned at right angles with the ends of one of their armsjoining at right angles. One of the U structures is arranged in anupright position and forms the base and sidewalls of the station I 6,whereas the other of the U structures is horizontally positioned withits arms forming the floor and the roof, respectively, and its baseforming the back wall of the loading platform IT. The station l6comprises a power house containing a motor 94 having its axis extendingparallel with and midway between the walls of the station 16. The motor94 drives a worm shaft 95 and worm 96, which drives a worm gear 91co-mounted with the elevator chain sprocket 29 on a shaft 98 journaledin the upright walls of the station Hi. The lower end of the inclinedtrack section I9 is positioned between the walls of the station 18 justabove the sprocket 29 and the arresting springs I8 are .mounted on theinner sides, at the upper corners,

of said walls.

The circuits for controlling the electrical equipment are very simpleand are diagrammed in Fig. 13. The power lines Hill, which may beconnected to an ordinary house outlet, run to one side of a transformerNH. The transformer IBI is connected to two separate lines, one line I02running to the light switch 10 and to the lights 61 and back to thetransformer by a return line I03, whereas the other line I04 runs to themotor control lever H and to the motor 94 and back to the transformer[0| by return line 105. The motor 94 and the lights 61 are, preferably,the l2-volt type which is harmless to the operator, frequently a child,if shortcircuited.

In view of the foregoing description it is obvious that many features ofthe present invention may be advantageously employed in fullscaleamusement part apparatus as well a in toy reproductions thereof. Theinvention 'is primarily concerned with the toy apparatus, however, andits operation will be described as such.

The apparatus is packaged for consumer delivery in a disassembledcondtion, the three'sections thereof being separated at theircooperating joints 15 and 15. Upon being unpacked the apparatus iscombined as a single unit by assembling the joints 15 and I6, overlappinthe track lugs '85 and 81 with the opposed lugs 99 and joinin the basesections by bolts 18 and 80. The power lines I00 may then be connectedwith a convenient source and the apparatus will be ready for operation.

The operator may start the operation of the apparatus by swinging thecontrol lever H to start the motor 94 which operates the elevatormechanism 2'l. If desired, the lights 61 may be illuminated by throwingthe switch 10. The desired number of cars may then be placed on thetrack to start their travel thereover. The cars may be started at theelevated point 4, but, preferably, they are placed within the arrestingmeans 18 in the station l6, where they may be positioned one at a time,each succeeding car being positioned after the previous car has beenremoved from the station so that their operation will be in perfectsynchronism.

A car having been placed on the lower track 3 within the arresting meansl8, and the elevator mechanism having been started, one of the eelvatorpins 30 will contact the front of the car body and move it up theinclined track 19. As the car approaches the top of the inclined track19, its upper frame 56 bears against the under side of the track section20 and pivots it upwardly about its hinge 2|. As the car passes beyondthe end of the pivotal track section 20 it will drop into position inalignment between the elevated point 4 and the declined track 5 of theupper track section I.

When the car is lifted to the elevated point 4, the elevator pin 30 ispivoted around the sprocket 28 passing beneath, and thereby releasingthe car to permit it to coast down the decline formed by the pivotaltrack section 20 and the stationary track 5, around the vertical loop 2and up the secondary inclined track 8. It will be understood that theelevator pins 30 are so spaced and their movement is so regulated thateach car is removed from the station I6 and the arresting means l8before the next car arrives, and also that each car is released at theelevated starting point 4 and descends over the pivotal track section 20before the next car is raised up the inclined track l9.

When the car has passed up the inclined track 6 it bumps the snubber 1,thereby releasing the latch l and permitting the track section 8 to beswung downwardly around its pivot 9, due to the weight of the car. Whenthe track section 8 swings down into alignment with the declined track lof the lower track 3, gravity will cause the car to roll oiT the tracksection 8 and along the lower track 3 to the station l6, Where it isstopped by the arresting means 18. As soon as. the pivotal track section8 is relieved of the weight of the car, the springs 52 resiliently urgeit upwardly into alignment with the inclined track 6 of the upper trackI, the latch operating to secure the track section 8 in position readyfor the next car.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shownand described, it is quite obvious that many modifications thereof arepossible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted exceptinsofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of theappended claims.

That which is claimed, as new, is:

- 1. An amusement apparatus comprising a plurality of substantiallysuperimposed tracks adapted to support a moving car and having theirends at one end, adjacent to each other, and a section of the end of theupper track being pivotal downwardly to coincide with the end of thelower track, said pivotal section being resiliently biased upwardly andlatched in alignment with said upper track, a buffer on said pivotedsection to receive the impact of a car, and means actuated by saidbuffer upon impact of a car to release said latch and to cause saidsection to pivot down to said lower track to permit said car to moveonto said lower track.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, a pair ofsubstantially superimposed tracks adapted to support a plurality ofindividual moving cars, each of said tracks having a declined and aninclined portion forming a dip, the two tracks having their endsadjacent to each other, transfer devices adjacent the opposite ends ofsaid tracks and adapted to transfer a movable car from one track to theother, a frictional device on and near the lower end of the inclinedportion of the lower track and engageable with a car and acting to stopa car moving up said incline of said lower track, a conveyor belt havingpins thereon adapted to engage a car that is stopped on said incline bysaid frictional device and adapted to move said car up said incline andpast the respective transfer device to the upper track and means engaginand operating said conveyor belt, the said pins being spaced apart onthe conveyor a pre-determined distance which establishes apre-determined lapse of time between the moving of one car from saidfrictional device and the moving of a following car from said frictionaldevice.

3. An amusement device comprising upper and lower tracks one above theother, each track having an incline and a decline joining at their lowerends, the incline and decline of the upper track being respectively overthe decline and the incline of the lower track, the lower end of alength of th upper end of the decline of the upper track being hinged tothe adjacent decline track length to swing vertically and having itsupper end resting on the incline of the lower track, the incline of thelower track extending upwardly beyond the end of said hinged declineportion of the upper track, said swingable end of the upper track beingswingable upwardly by the top of a car moving up the incline of thelower track and allowing the car to pass by and onto said extending endof the incline of the lower track, a standard supporting the upper trackat the upper end of its incline, a length of the upper end of theincline of the upper track being hinged at its upper end to swingvertically on said standard and carrying at its lower end a spring latchreleas-ably engageable with the adjacent incline track length, saidlatch including an operating member mounted reciprocally on the upper.end of said swingable length of incline of the upper track and in thepath of a car moving up said swingable incline length, whereby when anupwardly moving car strikes said operating member said member is movedon the track, releasing the latch and the weight of the car on saidswingable incline length of upper track swings the lower end of saidswingable incline length of upper track down on the decline of the lowertrack and the car passes by gravity from the swingable upper trackincline length, when so lowered, onto the decline of the lower track,spring means mounted on said standard and engaging said swingable uppertrack length and adapted when said swingable upper track incline lengthis free of a car to swing said track length upwardly and latch saidtrack length to the adjacent track length of the upper track, frictionmeans on and near the lower end of the incline of the lower trackadapted to engage, stop and hold against downward movement a carattempting to pass up said incline, and power means including a drivenchain mounted on the incline of the lower track and having lugspositioned to engage a car when held by said friction means and to movethe car out of the grip of said friction means and up the lower trackincline to its upper end portion beyond the upper end of the upper trackdecline and there to release the car to pass down from said upper endportion of the lower track incline onto the decline of the upper track,the length and slant of the inclines and declines of the upper and lowertracks being such that a car released at the top of the incline of thelower track moves by gravity down the decline of the upper track, up theincline of the upper track and down the decline of the lower track andup the incline of the lower track and into the grip of said frictionstopping and holding means.

CHARLES L. McBRIDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,040,125 Bickford Oct. 1, 19121,074,185 Lockwood Sept. 30, 1913 1,550,140 Bennington Aug. 18, 19251,575,089 Becker Mar. 2, 1926 1,599,982 Bauer Sept. 14, 1926 1,672,092Russell June 5, 1928 1,776,262 Noir et a1 Sept. 23, 1930 1,839,054Schmeck Dec. 29, 1931 1,881,151 Traver Oct. 4, 1932 1,911,240 Rosenthal1 May 30, 1933 2,260,003 Coderre Oct. 21, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 172,431 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1921

